


Fire Races Under My Skin and I Tremble

by DanielleItLouderNow



Category: Xena: Warrior Princess
Genre: F/F, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-03-14
Packaged: 2019-11-17 21:50:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18107168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanielleItLouderNow/pseuds/DanielleItLouderNow
Summary: Gabrielle finds herself awake in the middle of the night and makes the most of it.





	Fire Races Under My Skin and I Tremble

**Author's Note:**

> Strangely, this was actually my first Xena fanfic, it just took me 4 months to finish it.  
> Something about the smut, I suppose.
> 
> But this is pretty much just PWP, but not incredibly graphic as opposed to other things I've posed on AO3.
> 
> Enjoy.

 

 She wasn't sure what woke her. One moment she was sound asleep, the next staring at the bright stars above. 

 

She lay still and listened to the night; the quiet whispering of the wind through the trees, the lake lapping at the shore. Her eyes glanced lazily around, taking in the shifting of Argo as she grazed, the ethereal glowing of embers from a fire that died long ago.

But her eyes were inevitably drawn back to the sky.

 

The stars burned brightly, telling stories more beautifully than Gabrielle could ever hope to in her wildest of dreams. Her heart ached at the perfection and a gentle sigh escaped her.

 

She could only think of one thing more beautiful and suddenly she longed to gaze upon her.

 

Shifting quietly, she rolled until she was able to take in the sleeping profile of her companion, dozing contentedly beneath her furs. She took in the delicate arch of her eyebrows, always expressive, always defiant. Next, her line of sight traveled the gentle slope of a nose that had been broken more times than either could count before finally, her green gaze alighted upon those high, beautiful cheek bones, currently tinged pink from the night's chill.

 

No, Gabrielle wasn't certain what had woken her, but she was thankful it had. It was rare when she was allowed these moments to admire the warrior princess; calm, at peace.

 

As Gabrielle contemplated the soft, fullness of Xena's lips, she soon discovered looking was no longer enough; her fingers itched to touch.

 

She reached out tentatively and swept a dark curl from Xena's cheek behind her ear, fingers tracing down to cup her beautiful face.

 

She watched as Xena's lips twitched upwards in a smile, her name a breath on those very lips.

 

Gabrielle's heart swelled with love until she began to worry it would burst forth from her bosom, escaping the confines of her chest to give itself over freely to the other woman. 

 

" _Our hearts are wild creatures_ ," she thought, " _that's why our ribs are cages_."

 

The moment and the metaphor were short lived as Xena's eyes flew wide, blue and wild with panic as she grasped for the pommel of her sword.

 

Xena's fiery gaze met her own, her name breaking from those lips again. 

 

She had always loved the way Xena said her name: always fully, never shortened. She loved the way Xena's lips wrapped around each and every syllable, like she could never bear to part with a single one; Gabrielle loved even more the way it always fell from her mouth like a caress, ghosting over her skin like the breath from a lover. The silky warmth of Xena's voice always caused a shiver to course through Gabrielle.

 

And tonight was no exception.

 

Before she could think better of it or convince herself otherwise, she leaned down and drew the warrior into a kiss.

 

A slight brushing of lips, soft and overwhelming. A warmth that ended far too quickly for either woman's liking.

 

They drew back slightly, the younger woman's eyes widening in shock when Xena very gently turned her head away and cleared her throat, eyes glued very solidly to her bed roll.

 

Cheeks burning with shame, Gabrielle made to whirl away and bury herself in her furs; claim a dream, sleep walking, _**anything**_ to save her further embarrassment.

 

She did not expect the strong yet gentle way Xena's fingers grasped at her arm nor the way they desperately pulled her in again for another kiss. This one gentle and sweet but full of passion and all the things both women craved but were too stubborn to admit.

 

She did not expect those very fingers to wind themselves into her hair, pulling her closer against Xena as their mouths met again and again, tongues waging a war for dominance. 

 

She did not expect how good it felt to be pressed up against the other woman, their bodies fitting together perfectly despite the difference in height.

 

She did not expect how eager she was to submit to Xena; this battle was one Gabrielle would be content to lose over and over again if it meant the joining of their lips would never end.

 

No, she expected none of that and was even more surprised when Xena carefully rolled them over, slipping a thigh between her own and stroking her fingers tenderly, almost reverently, down her face to her neck and tracing across her collar bones.

 

"I must be dreaming," Xena whispered, dipping her head to place a gentle kiss on Gabrielle's pulse. The woman gave a low moan of appreciation and writhed beneath her.

 

"And why--," Gabrielle panted, hips shifting slightly, "would you think that?" She finished her breath with a groan as Xena planted another devastating kiss to the creamy, sucking lightly.

 

"Mmm," she purred, running her teeth down the sensitive column of Gabrielle's neck. "Because I've wanted this for _soooooo_ long but I can only have you in my dreams."

 

Gabrielle gasped as Xena's small confession sank in. Not only did Xena want this, she fantasized about it, dreamed it could happen. Gabrielle felt longing stab through her heart as it called out a sympathetic rhythm to Xena's.

 

After all, how many nights had she lain awake analyzing all the little things Xena had said or done throughout the day for hidden meaning? How many times had she dreamt the same dream, each time crying herself to sleep, knowing it was an impossibility? How many times had she willed her heart to stop racing when Xena's touch lingered just a second too long, lest she be found out?

 

How long had she been in love with Xena?

 

The answer was easy: _always_. 

 

Gabrielle felt the familiar sting of tears as she gazed into timid blue eyes shining with wonder and hope and something Gabrielle desperately desired.

 

She reached up and gently stroked the warrior's cheek, reveling in the softness when Xena closed her eyes and leaned into the touch.

 

She shifted and threaded her long, delicate fingers into those beautiful inky locks, pressing a loving kiss to Xena's forehead before whispering in her ear. 

 

"You told me once not be afraid to speak up when I found someone who makes me smile the way you do; that I **love** the way _I love **you**_ ," she let the words ghost over Xena and felt the other woman shiver. " _Xena_ ," she began, her eyes searching for any concern, any doubt. Finding none, her determination renewed, Gabrielle continued. " _Xena, I love you_ ," she sighed, before capturing Xena's mouth again in an amorous kiss, heated and full of longing. Gabrielle poured a current of desire into the kiss that surprised both warrior and bard, leaving each breathless when they parted, foreheads resting together.

 

"Still think this is a dream," Gabrielle asked, her lips brushing Xena's with each word she murmured, words whispered to not break the spell between them.

 

Xena didn't answer with words, but rather pulled the bard into herself so that they might be as close as possible, might become one, and kissed her so hard Gabrielle was certain her lips would bruise.

 

But she couldn't be bothered with such trivial concerns, opting instead to cling tighter to the woman above her and return the kiss with equal vigor.

 

Rather, Gabrielle focused on losing herself in the moment, ignoring the oxymoron and choosing instead to focus on the paradoxical sensation of Xena's hands: how they were everywhere at once, their touch both too much and not enough at the same time.

 

She felt herself arching into the other woman, Xena's hips grinding deliciously into her own. But all too soon the steady rhythm stopped, Xena bracing herself above Gabrielle on one hand so the other was free to explore the wonderful skin of the woman panting beneath her.

 

She ran her fingertips in gentle patterns over Gabrielle's flesh, admiring the strength that hummed through those muscles, taut and well defined, just beneath warm, sun bronzed skin.

 

Gabrielle had grown and changed over the years, becoming a beautiful woman, living up to and surpassing her self imposed expectations as the "battling bard of Potidaea."

 

She had grown exceptionally as a warrior, still yet winning most of her battles with wits and words but certainly not incapable of fighting with her fists.

 

Yet as much as Xena admired Gabrielle as a warrior, she was far more taken with her as a woman.

 

Xena had always been aware the bard had been attractive: the golden, shining hair, the sparkling green eyes, the way her nose crinkled when she smiled. Xena usually found herself leveling an icy glare at anyone who thought themselves worthy of the girl's attention. And those who braved the steel of her gaze, well, even warriors could be creative.

 

But Xena preferred to look beyond just the physical... assets... of the young girl and see all she had to offer.

 

In the end, it wasn't Gabrielle's beauty that caused the warrior's pulse to quicken, though she was gorgeous.

 

No.

 

It was the quiet wisdom, a fierce intelligence, and an undying loyalty that endeared Gabrielle to Xena. And perhaps most of all, a warm heart that healed Xena's own fractured one. Many years ago in the land of Japa, Xena had learned of the ancient art of _**Kintsukuroi**_ , translating to " _golden repair_." The people of Japa used a special lacquer filled with gold dust to repair broken pottery, the theory being that the cracks only served to make the piece more beautiful. Xena would be damned if Gabrielle wasn't her gold, filling all of Xena's breaks and cracks with a beauty that only Gabrielle could arouse.

 

Though Xena found herself aroused in a far more interesting way now. 

 

With a quick jerk of her wrists, Gabrielle's top, tiny though it may be, shredded in her powerful grasp with a satisfying rip as more flesh was revealed. Gabrielle growled, whether in frustration at her ruined clothing or sheer lust, Xena wasn't sure nor was she willing to ponder it when her attention belonged on so many other things. Her gaze met Gabrielle's and she was rewarded with a burning stare, filled with desire and a passion that fueled her own. Were Xena still a betting woman, she'd say the growl was meant to get her to move their intimate battle forward, but after waiting so long Xena had every intention of taking her time and enjoying every moment of it.

 

Her eyes flitted down the vast expanse of Gabrielle's bosom, the pert flesh giving way to dusky nipples pebbling in the cool night air. " _In time_ ," the warrior thought to herself, before kissing her way down Gabrielle's throat, enjoying the quickening of the pulse beneath her lips, the bobbing of a throat as the bard swallowed, the vibrations as she tiny moans escaped into the night. Xena found herself particularly fascinated with a spot just above the younger woman's collar bone that caused her to arch her back and dig her fingers into Xena's scalp, begging the warrior for more with each heavy breath.

 

Sitting back on her heels, Xena took the time to admire Gabrielle, illuminated in Artemis' glow from above. The shimmer of moonlight lent Gabrielle's skin an ethereal blush Xena longed to commit to memory. Fingers blazed trails down luminous flesh, sending shivers shooting down Gabrielle's spine directly to her center.

 

"By the Gods, you're beautiful," Xena managed to gasp out before she was pulled into another fierce kiss, fingers clutching desperately to her shoulders, her neck, wherever they could find purchase and ensure the warrior was unable to escape.

 

Not that Xena would ever want to escape this utter, sweetly torturous, bliss.

 

But as all things go, soon the sweet assault on each others' lips was not nearly enough, as evidenced by Gabrielle clawing hastily at Xena's leathers, her short nails leaving angry red lines in their wake. Sitting up, Xena straddling Gabrielle's waist, they frantically ripped the battle dress over the warrior's head, exposing the scarred and sacred body to Gabrielle's appraising gaze. In less than an instant, Gabrielle sealed her mouth over an aching nipple, capturing the bud between her teeth and flicking it rapidly with her tongue.

 

Xena rocked against Gabrielle, her desire painting those deliciously perfect abs, a groan escaping her lips. Gabrielle looked up, admiring the way Xena's eyes closed in pleasure, her mouth partially open, tongue running absently along her bottom lip. Moving her mouth to the other nipple, Gabrielle yanked Xena's breeches to the side, plunging two fingers to the knuckle into the warm, inviting depths of her lover. Her thumb pressed into Xena's clit, circling it without mercy. The warrior threw her head back, a guttural cry leaving her lips. Gabrielle pulled nearly all the way out before burying her fingers within the warmth again, and again, each time seeming deeper than before. Xena began to move her hips in tempo with Gabrielle's thrusts, meeting her stroke for stroke, the two setting a rhythm ruled purely by need.

 

Xena captured Gabrielle's face in a hard grasp, smashing their lips together in a fierce kiss, hips slamming into Gabrielle's hand as she pumped harder and harder into her. All too soon the kiss was broken as Xena cried out into the night, passionately calling Gabrielle's name to the sky, her body shattering from the sheer pleasure coursing through her.

 

Never one to pass up a dramatic finish, Gabrielle slowed her strokes and began moving her fingers in a come hither gesture, rapidly swiping her thumb over Xena's bundle, sending the woman careening into another explosion of bliss. When the strong pulsing of Xena's inner walls tapered off into infrequent waves, Gabrielle slowly removed herself from her lover, running her hands over Xena's well muscled and shaking back. The woman clung desperately to Gabrielle, pulling her as close to her as she could. Pliable lips met a silky mouth in a sloppy sweet kiss, lazy from the after effects of passion.

 

Xena's hooded eyes met Gabrielle's gaze and a fire blazed behind the usually icy blue. Gabrielle noted that Xena's eyes were mostly pupil, their color that of a stormy sea. It didn't take long before the kiss devolved into a fervent thing, ardent and messy. Gabrielle noted with no small amount of satisfaction that Xena seemed desperate to take all of her, the usual control she held a firm grasp on slipping dangerously with the ever increasing lust.

 

The warrior's skilled movements meant Gabrielle quickly found herself on her back, skirt gone and breeches flying through the air. A hot mouth attached itself to one of her nipples, teeth teasing her teat with tantalizing torment, but she was far too worked up to appreciate the art with which Xena's tongue twirled against her aching breast. With great alacrity, Gabrielle urged Xena downward, directing her desperately to her dripping desire.

 

Xena raised her eyebrow at Gabrielle's golden brown thatch of curls, that damnable smirk on her lips.

 

Gabrielle barely had time to growl out a half hearted "Xen- _aaahhh!_ " before said woman dipped her head to taste Gabrielle's sopping wet core, her tongue painting wicked patterns on Gabrielle's precious pearl.

 

Xena gave an appreciative moan that Gabrielle felt all the way to her toes, her entire body erupting in goosebumps and her desire increasing tenfold just at hearing Xena's enjoyment.

 

She soon found herself akin to a matchstick: burning steady and hot, but entirely too soon consumed by her lusty desires. She soon found she might combust if she weren't sated and quickly; or risk becoming a raging fire in her haze with the potential to set forth a wild blaze.

 

"Xena," she panted, "please...I, I need..." She didn't know what she meant, but Xena did, sucking the bard's clit into her mouth, caressing it with her tongue as she filled her with long, calloused fingers.

 

Gabrielle's back arched and her hands scrambled for purchase on the ground and finding none before giving up and tangling them in her lover's hair, pressing Xena so closely as to block off her air supply she may as well have applied the pinch to the warrior. Her hips bucked with abandon, a small part of her curious if she should be embarrassed by this raw sexuality coursing through her. But Xena gave a delicious pull to her button and all thoughts of embarrassment were gone as she pulled the other woman still yet closer, holding her breath as Xena continued to suck and swirl her expertly, thrusting her fingers to match Gabrielle's desperate rhythm. Something inside Gabrielle snapped as Xena reached her depths, playing her expertly with her fingers, mouth never leaving the treasure of Gabrielle's swollen bud. Raising up from the ground and clutching desperately around Xena, Gabrielle continued to thrust against her face while the woman eagerly continued her assault on the young woman's senses. 

 

With one last cry, Gabrielle collapsed back to the bedroll, panting and sweaty, arm flung over her head as she grinned uncontrollably.

 

Xena slowly extricated herself from the bard's legs and crawled up and brushed the soaked bangs from her love's eyes. 

 

"I want..." Gabrielle tried and hand to swallow before she could speak. "I want...to do... _that_...again!" She panted out.

 

Xena smiled down at the woman she'd so desperately loved all these years, her eyes alight with wonder.

 

" _Slowly_ ," Gabrielle clarified.

 

"That," Xena said as she leaned down to kiss her now lover, "can be arranged."

 

And so it went, the kiss going on and on and on.


End file.
